


Partner Pokemon

by SilverStorm0



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Ranger
Genre: Gen, Humor, Just Another Tuesday for Kate, Rhythmi is Done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 05:32:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17318921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverStorm0/pseuds/SilverStorm0
Summary: Days off for Kate are rare, so why did Rhythmi tell her to come in?





	Partner Pokemon

**Author's Note:**

> I blame a plot bunny for this.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

There wasn't much to do today. It was one of Kate's rare days off, a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence that only happened when Chairperson Erma told her that she _was_ going to “Take a rest, dearie, you've done more than enough”. Kate was almost a workaholic, with how much she threw herself into her Top Ranger duties. They were fun and fulfilling, and she was the type of person to commit a hundred and ten percent when she put her mind to something.

So it was a bit odd when Rhythmi called her up to the control room, since most everyone, _especially_ her usual Operator, knew how hard it was to get her to take a break.

“Chairperson Erma,” the Top Ranger greeted the maternal head of the Ranger Union as she stepped off the escalator.

“Kate?” the Chairperson frowned, deepening the already prominent lines on her face. “What are you doing here?”

“Rhythmi called me up,” Kate shrugged, and the Pachirisu curled around her neck chittered in mild irritability as she was jostled. The Ranger absently raised a hand to scritch under her Partner's chin. “I’m technically just visiting today, no actual work involved.”

“So long as you’re not going to sneak in a few more hours.” At that, Kate had the grace to look a bit sheepish. “It should be fine. I'm sure Rhythmi had good reason.” Erma nodded sagely. “Good day, Kate.”

So the Ranger bid the Chairperson a good day and continued onwards to her friend’s terminal.

As she approached, Rhythmi looked up and smiled.

“Kate, good to see you!” the Operator greeted her. “It's like you actually work here,”

“Yes yes, how ironic that it's on my day off,” Kate exaggerated lifting her arms up as far as was comfortable for Pachirisu and looking down at her attire. Civilian clothes, for a wonder. A plain cream sweater that was several sizes too big -- it was comfortable, so everyone could sod off about what they thought -- and jeans. Even her hair was down from it's usual braid crown, loosely brushing her shoulders.

“What did you want to talk about? And shouldn't you be working right now?” She asked. Rhythmi could have always used voicemail. After all, every Ranger knew better than to leave their Styler anywhere. Even now, Kate was keenly aware of the device hidden under her baggy sleeves.

“It's my break, we're fine. And, well,” Rhythmi turned back to her work station, a set of several large monitors all linked to one of the most advanced computers around, and pulled up something. “I was checking through your records -- logged captures, previous Missions, cleared Quests and the like -- and I came across something weird that I wanted to confirm with you.”

The blonde waved Kate closer, and the Top Ranger peered over her friend's shoulder at the screen Rhythmi motioned to. On it was a list of about a dozen and a half pokemon.

“So what even is this?” Kate gave a sidelong look to Rhythmi.

“Your registered Partner Pokemon,” she answered.

Kate looked back at the list and scrutinized each entry.

“Huh. You're right. So what about them?”

“This can't be right!” Rhythmi exclaimed. “I've never seen any Ranger with this many Partner Pokemon!”

“Really?” Kate tilted her head quizzically. “I thought everyone had a lot.”

The Operator gave her a strange look. “Seriously? Where'd you even get all of them?”

“Well,” Kate started. “I met Pachirisu on Nabiki Beach back on the 1-day internship, and she became my Partner Pokemon my first day as an Area Ranger.” She reached up to stroke Pachirisu's ear, and the Electric-type cooed and leaned into her touch. “Kricketot was right after the Vien Forest Fire, he was in my parent's farm in Chicole Village. Cranidos was being chased by a Wartortle in Vien Forest over territory, I think. I saved Turtwig from falling off Lookout Point. Shieldon was stuck on a ledge on Peril Cliff. The day I went to be the Outdoor Class teacher, I freed Croagunk from a couple of Dim Sun goons.” She smiled at a thought. “I gave those kids a memory they'll never forget: that to be a Ranger is to protect others.

Kate closed her eyes as she drifted into fond nostalgia, completely unaware of Rhythmi's increasingly flabbergasted expression.

“Chimchar had annoyed a couple Beedrill up by the Chroma Ruins. Sneasel was making a ruckus in Almia Castle -- though I _still_ don't know why Mrs. Winters asked me to go up there. Right after I retrieved the Red Gem, a Mime Jr. in Boyleland I'd saved my first time there wanted to come with me. Snover was in Boyle Volcano's east path. No, don't ask me what an Ice- and Grass-type was doing in a volcano, I have _no idea_. Misdreavus was playing pranks on an explorer in the Chroma Ruin.” Kate paused to giggle. “Munchlax was bumping around in my room and scared my little sister. Machop was training on the Peril Cliffs and trapped himself behind a boulder. Hippopotas was stuck on the ‘nose’ of Hippowdon Temple. Piplup was being chased by a Houndoom in Hia Valley. Gible was on the outside of Boyle Volcano and had gotten hurt. And… Starly had gotten lost inside Hippowdon Temple.”

Kate opened her eyes and finally realized her old friend was staring at her, jaw on the floor.

“What?”

Rhythmi's mouth moved silently for a second before she found her voice. “...nothing, Kate. It's nothing. That's all I needed.”

“Okay then,” the Ranger of the two shrugged, then bumped shoulders with her friend and fellow Ranger School alumni. “Hey, we should totally get together sometime. It’s been forever since we've done something non-work related together. Maybe we can even wrangle Keith into it, eh?”

Rhythmi gave her a disbelieving look, though this one was much more humorous than before. “What's this? Kate ‘I'm-going-to-work-until-I-drop-and-you-can't-stop-me’ Truman wants a _day off_?” Rhythmi snickered as Kate had the decency to blush. “Who're you and what've you done with my best friend?”

“I can want to spend time with my friends,” Kate pouted, but otherwise took her lumps. Besides, there was a difference between taking a break for the sake of it and setting aside time for something important.

Rhythmi glanced at her monitors again. “My break is almost over. You should go before Chairperson Erma starts to suspect you're doing more than just checking in with me.”

Biting a retort back, Kate nodded reluctantly and half-turned away. “Talk to you later, then.” And she walked away.

The Ranger acknowledged greetings and a few light-hearted jabs from familiar faces as they realized her presence, giving her own in turn as was appropriate. She was just about to the escalators when Keith rose up from the floor below.

“Kate? I thought the Chairperson ordered you to take a vacation day,” the ginger laughed as the two old rivals went through their stereotypically overcomplicated ‘secret handshake’, which included several old fads, running jokes -- mostly from back at Ranger School -- and finally their Partners running up their arms and fist-bumping each other.

“I did,” she motioned meaningfully to her civilian clothes. “Rhythmi just wanted to run something by me in person,”

“Alright then,” her fellow Top Ranger shrugged, and Kate stepped past Keith onto the escalator.

“Hey, it’s almost like you work here!” He called back cheekily.

“Sorry Keith, that one’s already been done,” Kate responded blithely, and he grumbled something about plagiarism. “Better luck next time!”

**Author's Note:**

> I thought about the ridiculous number of partner pokemon you get in Shadows of Almia, and away I went. Hope this was funny, though I don't feel like I did justice to Kate and Keith's dynamic.


End file.
